Safety guard for dangerous highways



July 10, 1928.

'H. C.- LOOKABAUGH SAFETY GUARD FOR DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS Filed Feb. 9, 1927 Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES HARRY C. LOOKAIBAUGH, F JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

SAFETY GUARD FOR naivennous nrcnwavs.

Application filed February, 9, 1927. Serial No. 166,972.

This invention relates to protective means for thoroughfares to prevent vehicles leaving the road and pitching over embankments, or running into obstructlons, pools 6 of water and other dangerous places at the side of a roadway. The invention provides a guard at the side of the road, of such sturdy formation and arrangement as to prevent a vehicle from leaving the road, and .which will operate to prevent the overturning. of a careenlng vehicleand restore its equilibrium and cause it to assume a normal'upright position. 1 The invention furthermore aims to provid'ea road guard which materially reduces the hazard and perils of traffic over mountainous countries and dangerous places, thereby safe-guarding life and property, and which may be constructed economically and without inconvenience to the traveling public.

while the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and such other changes 1n the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the draw-.

ings hereto attached, in which, Figure 1 is a perspective view OfA ROIlIIOII of a highway guard embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is-a vertical, transverse sectional view of the guard. 1 a

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the guard.

Corresponding and like arts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

prises an upper member 1, a lower member 2 and suitable supporting means having a firm footing in the road bed. The upper member-1 constitutes arail, preferably of metal tubing of a size best adapted for the purpose to withstand stresses and shocks incident to impact. of a vehicle therewith. The rail l is disposed in a plane parallel with The guard is preferably disposed at that. side of the road to be protected and comthe surface of the road but curves in and out, as indicated must clearly in Figure 3. The sinuous or serpentine formation of the rail 1 serves to aright a careen'ing vehicle and also compensate for. contraction and expansion without necessitating special provision therefor, by compeinsating joints. The lower member 2 consists of a metal plate which conforms to the extent of the highway. The lower edge portion of the plate 2 curves inwardly, as indicated at 3, and is preferably arranged in contact with the surface of the road. The upper edge of the plate 2 is rolled outwardly, as indicated at 4, thereby serving to reinforce and stiffen the member 2 besides obviating the formation of a sharp corner which would tend to injure soft tread tires. The member 2 is set inwardly a short distance from a perpendicular line passing through the member 1, thereby providing a guard which conforms approximately to the side of a vehicle, it being remembered that the body usually projects beyond the tread of the wheels. The upper member 1 of the guard is positioned 80 to engage with the top portion of the body of the vehicle, as indicated in the drawings, whereas the lower member 2 is located to engage the wheels. A vehicle usually sways from side to side before toppling over and is arighted by contact with the upper guard member 1, the inclines formed by the undulations operating as cams to positively bring the vehicle into normal position. This action is supplemented by the lower uard member 2 engaging. the wheels and limit.- in the side movement of the vehicle.

he uprights comprise posts 5 and braces 6 which come together and overla at their upper ends and are secured by suitable fastening means 7, such as rivets or bolts. The rail 1 is connected to the uprights by suitable fastening means 8 which may consist of U-bolts or clips of-any determinate nature. The lower ends of the posts 5 and braces 6 are secured to bars 9 which are embedded in the road bed, as indicated most-clearly in Flgure 2. The bars 9 constitute anchoring means and their terminal portions are bent, as indicated at 10, to insure safety and guard against displacement. A brace 11 is secured at 1tslower end to theembedded bar 9 and its upper portion curves outwardly and upwardly, as indicated at 12, and is secured to the post 5 a determinate distance above the lower guard member 2. A crossbar 13, disposed intermediate the top and bottom'edges of the member 2 is secured to the post 5 and braces 11 and 6. A diagonal brace 14 is connected to the post 5 and the braces 11 and 6 and extends from the lower end of the brace 6 to the inner end of the cross bar 13. In this manner the base portion of the uprights is strengthened, and enabled to Withstand shock and stress.

The numeral 15 designates the bed of the roadway or may consist of-a shoulder or curb and is utilized to insure a substantial and firm footing for the uprights which are set therein substantially as indicated. The sinuous or serpentine formation of the upper portion or member of the guard results in the arighting and steadying of a vehicle which is swaying and tending to careen and pitch from the road over an embankment, or other dangerous place, thereby imperiling the lives of the occupants of the vehicle besides resulting in serious damage to the vehicle. It is observed that the guard may be provided upon either or both sides of a highway and conforms to the extent thereof, being straight on direct stretches and curved on stretches bearing either to the right or to the left from a straight course.

While it is preferred to have the lower guard 2 consist of a metal plate, nevertheless it may be formed of any material such as concrete which may be reinforced and extend upwardly from the roadway to any determinate height. To provide an escape for water drain openin s 16 are formed in the guard 2 and may e provided by cutting away portions from the lower edge thereof. It is not essential, although desirable, that the upper edge of the guard be curved outwardly, as indicated.

, Having thus described the invention, I claim:

- 1. Protective means at the side of a'highway, the same comprising a vertically disposed plate having its lower edge portion curved inwardly and in contact with the surface of the highway, and having its upper edge portion curved outwardly and downwardly to provide a. stiffening and reinforcing roll.

2. Protective means at the side of a highway, the'same comprising an upper sinuous rail, a. lower plate spaced therefrom and having its lower edge portion curved inwardly and its upper edge portion curved outwardly, and connecting means therefor located at intervals.

3. Protective means along the side of a highwa the same comprising uprights having a rm and substantial footing in the road bed, a guard rail firmly attached to the upper end of the u rights and curving inwardly and outwar ly, and a lower guard member firmly attached to the lower portion of the uprights and set inwardly from the upper guard rail.

4. Protective means along the side of a highway, the same comprising uprights having a firm and substantial footing in the road bed, a sinuous guard rail firmly attached to the upper end of the uprights, and a lowerguard member firmly attached to the lower portion of the uprights and set in wardly from the upper guard rail, and having its lower edge portion curving inwardly and in contact with the surface of the highway and having its upper edge portion curved outwardly.

5. Protective means along the side of a highway, the same comprising posts, outer braces connected to the upper ends of the posts and inclining outwardly and downwardly, inner braces having their upper ends curving upwardly and outwardly and attached .to the posts intermediate their upper and lower ends, the posts and braces havin a firm and substantial footing in the bed 0% the roadway, an upper guard member attached to the upper ends of the posts and a lower guard member consisting of a plate attached to the inner braces and having its lower edge portion curved inwardly and its top edge portion curved outwardly.

6. Protective means at the side of a highway, the same comprising anchoring members embedded in the roadway, posts and inner and outer braces connected at their lower ends to the anchoring members, the outer braces inclining u wardly and inwardly and attached to t e upper ends of the posts, and the inner braces having their upper portions curving upwardly and outwardly and attached to the posts intermediate their ends, a cross bar connecting the posts and braces a diagonal brace connecting the posts with the lower end of the outer brace and the inner end of the cross bar, an upper guard member attached to the posts and a lower guard member attached to the inner braces and set inwardly from the upper guard member.

7. Protective means at one side of a highway, the same comprising a lower wheel engaging member conformln to the extent of the highway, an upper bo y engaging member having portions curved inwardly and outwardly substantially parallel with the surface of the highway-and adapted to restore the equilibrium of a swaying vehicle, and connecting means for the members set at intervals.

8. A motor vehicle highway guard comprisin a lower member positioned to engage t e wheels of the vehlcle and limit side movement thereof, an upper member disposed to contact with the top ortion of a swaying vehicle and prevent its toppling over, said upper member having portions III curving inwardly and outwardly to efl'ect ber set inwardly from the upper member positive arightingof the vehicle, and means and spaced therefrom, and connecting means to hold the members in spaced relation. for the members arranged at intervals. 10 9. Protective means at the side of a high- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 5 way, the same consisting of an upper member having portions curved inwardly and outwardly, and a lower wheel engaging mem- HARRY C. LOOKABAUGH. [11. s.] 

